Plans by an Eden pub to convert a nearby home into accommodation for guests has been given the go-ahead.
Charles Lowther, who owns the George and Dragon pub in Town End, Clifton, applied for three letting bedrooms at a next-door building associated with the pub.
The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions, and it was discussed by members of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Eden local area planning committee at Penrith Town Hall today, Wednesday, September 6.
The well-loved gastropub was forced to close after a devastating fire severely damaged the building in June last year – the cause of the fire was later confirmed to be electrical. It has since been fully refurbished and was set to reopen in June this year.
A planning officer told members there were objections to the proposal, including issues with noise, but both highways and environmental health had no objections.
Chris Curry, a spokesman for the applicant, told members that adding the rooms would help make the business more viable and they considered the pub a community asset.
He added: “We could have just converted it into an Airbnb. We are turning it into bedrooms so that we could control it and the community is protected.”
Councillor Michael Eyles (Penrith South, Lib Dems) proposed that they go with the officer’s recommendation and the committee voted in favour of granting planning permission.
According to the planning report the proposal will effectively extend the existing pub by providing further overnight guest accommodation.
The property will be divided into three, comprising of one guest unit to the ground floor with a double bedroom, bathroom and sitting area, and two separate guest units to the first floor each with a double bedroom and en suite.
Other work includes the replacement of the garage door to a single pedestrian door, installation of new timber sliding sash windows and glazing bars finished in white wood preservative paint, and the repainting of the external elevations in white to match the George and Dragon.
The existing parking area to the front will be extended to accommodate two cars, part of the front boundary wall will be removed to improve access, and the existing garage will be moved and rebuilt about 0.7m away from the neighbouring boundary wall.
